


Beside Me in the Shallow Water

by Xemriss



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, One Shot, widofjord
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-29
Updated: 2018-12-29
Packaged: 2019-09-29 12:12:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17203181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Xemriss/pseuds/Xemriss
Summary: It’s only been about a month since their pirate shenanigans, yet it already feelsmuchlonger than that. Fjord can’t complain; the quicker he can distance himself from it all, the better.





	Beside Me in the Shallow Water

**Author's Note:**

> Was inspired by Fjord's playlist dropping. òwób
> 
> Title's from "Sirens" by Cher Lloyd.
> 
> Find me on [**Twitter**](https://twitter.com/Xemriss) & [**Tumblr**](https://jaxxem.tumblr.com/) _!_ <3

It’s only been about a month since their pirate shenanigans, yet it already feels _much_ longer than that. Fjord can’t complain; the quicker he can distance himself from it all, the better.

The group collectively decided to take advantage of the wonderful weather, and thus it was decided that today was a much-needed beach day.

Fjord had no complaints; he missed the sea.

He’s now lying on his back, sans armor, in the temporary, shallow pool The Mighty Nine spontaneously carved out of the sand and filled after lunch. The water around him is just high enough to submerge his ears and block out the world, the late afternoon sun stretching every shadow. He stares up at the cloudless sky, gets lost in the vastness of blue.

His brows furrow when a shadow briefly interrupts the sunlight, frowns as his eyes flutter open — he doesn’t remember when they closed, nor for how long.

Fjord throws around a quick glance for the shadow’s source, sees Caleb standing a few feet from him, possibly distracted. He’s dressed down, too, without his coat or book holsters. His arms hang at his sides, white bandages exposed since the sleeves are rolled up to the elbows, and fingers fidgeting. He can’t see Caleb’s face, yet doesn’t have to in order to know that he’s staring towards the horizon with his usual concentration.

His shirt clings to his back as he sits up. “Caleb?”

Fjord doesn’t miss Caleb tense just before turning, hears others members of the Mighty Nine laughing in the distance. “Ja, Fjord?”

Something about hearing his name on the wizard’s lips, with his Zemnian accent, makes his chest feel tight, hands clammy. He wonders if he’ll ever get used to it, selfishly hopes he doesn’t. He clears his throat, and it it takes him a moment to make his mouth work.

“I, uh, I didn’t mean to interrupt,” he begins. When Caleb absently takes a couple steps towards him, Fjord’s mouth chooses that moment to decide it has a mind of its own, and it interrupts whatever Caleb was going to say by blurting out, “Join me?”

He feels his cheeks warm, wishes he could dissolve into the pool. He watches Caleb blink at him a moment with surprise and curiosity, and then —

“Ja. I would like that, thank you.”

He wants to rescind the offer, to apologize for his rudeness, but his mouth has refused to cooperate once more. He quickly turns his attention to the vast body of water in front of them as Caleb deliberately chooses to sit in the shallow pool of saltwater next to him; waits until Caleb’s lying on his back and comfortable before chancing a glance.

Fjord’s gaze flicks to Caleb’s face, and some of the anxiety recedes when he sees that Caleb’s eyes are closed, hands clasped over his stomach. He quickly follows suit, returns to his own comfortable position before Caleb notices him staring.

They lie with their shoulders just shy of touching. Fjord stares at the sky, watches Caleb from his peripheral. The heightened silence caused by the water is almost deafening. He wants to fill it but, for once, can’t find the words.

His body and mind gradually relax the more time passes, and his mind clears enough that the ability to coherently form sentences return when the sun begins to set.

“Thank you,” Fjord finally says, having forgotten that their ears are blocked by water. He counts the seconds that go by, is unsure if Caleb can hear him, or if he’s even still conscious. His eyes focus on the torso next to him, watches Caleb’s hands rise and fall with every steady breath.

After a few completions the hands separate, and the arm closest to Fjord props itself on its elbow, wrist and forearm twisting just enough so his open palm is facing Fjord, offering.

Fjord pauses a moment, suddenly deafened by the surge of blood to his ears, then mirrors Caleb’s movements and threads their fingers together. The warmth of Caleb’s hand, his callouses, helps ground him, and after a few heartbeats the blood in his veins quiet down, too.

He stares at where they’re joined, and when he finally gains enough courage he turns his head towards Caleb, is immediately caught by the piercing blue of his eyes.

They stay silent.

Caleb gently squeezes his hand and gives him an encouraging smile.


End file.
